1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a side dump body and more particularly to a side dump body for use on a trailer or truck and which has increased carrying capacity when compared to conventional side dump trailers. More particularly, this invention relates to a side dump body wherein one or more of side dump bodies are mounted on a trailer or truck with each of the side dump bodies being selectively pivotally movable between a transport position and a dumping position at either side of the truck or trailer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dump bodies which are employed on trailers or trucks normally are of the end dump type or the side dump type. Since the introduction of the side dump body disclosed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214, side dump trucks and trailers have experienced wide acceptance. Perhaps the only drawback to applicant's earlier side dump body is that the body does not have as much carrying capacity as an end dump body due to the fact that the side walls of the side dump body extend upwardly and outwardly from a bottom wall, rather than extending vertically upwardly from a bottom wall as in most conventional end dump bodies. The bottom dump or belly dump bodies also suffer the same drawback, since the side walls of those trailers normally extend upwardly and outwardly from a bottom wall rather than substantially vertically from a bottom wall. A further disadvantage of the conventional side dump and end dump trailers is that they are only able to haul a single commodity.
Applicant overcame the objections noted above to side dump trailers by way of the inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,967,615; 6,179,385; 7,360,813 and 7,478,883. Although the side dump bodies of the above-identified patents perform their intended functions in an exceptional manner, it has been found that some of the contents of the side dump bodies, after they have been moved to their dumped position, may sometimes be present in the dumped side body due to the pile of dumped material extending upwardly into the interior of the side dump body. If the truck or trailer is moved forwardly or rearwardly in that condition, the dumped material which is piled along the side of the truck or trailer may damage the side dump body since the side dump body is normally constructed of light-weight steel or other metal material.
In Applicant's earlier application, many of the problems of the prior art were overcome. However, in Applicant's co-pending application, the side dump body or tub could only be pivotally moved to a dumping position at one side of the truck or trailer.